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Annual Reports
Ofsted: A growing number of schools are now using their Pupil Premium funding effectively to raise achievement levels among poorer pupils, Ofsted’s Chief Inspector said last week. However, a significant minority are still struggling to show how the money is making any meaningful impact in terms of narrowing the gap between pupils from low income and more affluent families.
PC&PE: The Public Accounts Committee has published its 26th Report of this Session which, on the basis of evidence from the Department for International Development, examines how DFID is seeking to maximise the impact of the multilateral aid review, and the cost-effectiveness of different types of aid.
NAO: The Department for Work and Pensions’ network of jobcentres has coped well in the face of the economic downturn, according to a report by the National Audit Office. The Department has continued to develop these services in the face of major reforms, but it must improve how it tracks & understands performance.
The NAO found that, although the Department has continued to pursue efficiency, variations in case load across jobcentres suggest further gains may be possible. The average Jobseeker’s Allowance caseload per adviser in 2011-12 was 168, but varies by nearly 30% across jobcentre districts.
Press release ~ NAO: Responding to change in jobcentres ~ PAC comments on NAO report about responding to change in jobcentres
NAO: HM Revenue & Customs has improved its approach to tackling error & fraud in tax credits but has not yet achieved a sustainable reduction in the level of losses, according to a report by the National Audit Office. The report concludes that, while HMRC is not yet achieving value for money. , according to a report by . The report concludes that, while HMRC is not yet achieving value for money.
Press release ~ Tackling tax credits error and fraud ~ Public Accounts Committee comments on tax credits error and fraud report
CBI: The UK economy is expected to grow modestly in 2013, with the pace picking up in 2014, according to the CBI’s latest economic forecast, butexternal risks to the outlook, in the Eurozone and further afield, remain.
Defra: Maps showing where birds of prey have been poisoned should serve as a wake-up call, Environment Minister Richard Benyon said last week. The Partnership for Action Against Wildlife Crime (PAW) maps highlight both the number & location of confirmed poisonings of birds of prey from 2007 to 2011 across England & Wales.
Members of the public are warned not to touch any suspected poisoned animals or baits and to report them to their local police by calling 101.
Members of the public are warned not to touch any suspected poisoned animals or baits and to report them to their local police by calling 101.
ONS: The Office for National Statistics’ have release an additional 2011 Census table, covering methods of travel to work, which complements the table released on 30 January. ‘Method of travel to work in England and Wales 2011’ includes the most significant trends in workers’ use of cars & vans, buses & coaches, trains, bicycles & walking – and the growing percentage of the population who said they worked at or from home.
FSA: The Financial Services Authority has published the results of a mystery shopping review, carried out between March & September 2012, looking into the quality of investment advice given by banks & building societies. This is the first time that the FSA has published the results of a mystery shopping exercise since the Payment Protection Insurance (PPI) mystery shopping exercise in September 2008.
This mystery shopping review assessed 6 major firms in the retail banking sector, focusing on the quality of advice given to customers looking to invest a lump-sum. The results show that, while around 75% of customers received good advice, there were concerns with the quality of advice in the other quarter.
Ofsted: Ofsted has published its Beyond 2012 – outstanding physical education for all report. It makes recommendations for schools & the Department for Education to secure the quality of PE in schools and draws out improvements made to PE & sport over the last four years.
The report found that PE is generally in good health. Considerable investment over the last decade has ensured PE is a central part of school life for pupils of all ages. However, in some schools Ofsted found there was not enough physical activity in PE lessons. In more than a quarter of schools, teaching did not improve pupils’ physical fitness.
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